Drew McIntyre. Grado. Killian Dain. Those are just some of the notable names ICW star DCT is looking to emulate when he faces off with Stevie Boy for the ICW World Heavyweight Championship at the promotion's up-coming Shug's Hoose Party weekender at Glasgow’sO2 Academy .

The main event match-up completes a roller coaster 10 year journey in the business for the boy from Paisley. But in an exclusive interview with Glasgow Live and wrestling podcast Eat Sleep Suplex Retweet, the Lone Striker, real name David Thomson, told how he was very close to giving up on the industry all together at an early stage.

Drew McIntyre (Image: Facebook - DrewMcIntyre)

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“Ten years ago, I trained very briefly when I was 18. It was a different time. The training wasn't really the same as what it is now. It's a much higher standard, and to be honest, I just wanted to get out and get drunk and have fun with my pals.

“But four years later, I went to Wrestlemania 28 in Miami. I saw The Undertaker walking down to the ring, and it was proper dark. It was one of the best atmospheres ever, and I just thought, if I could feel 1% of what this guy's feeling right now, because it must be the greatest buzz ever walking down in front of 70 thousand people. So the next weekend, I got home, and just straight away I contacted Source (wrestling school in the south side of Glasgow) and got back in.”

DCT in action (Image: Facebook - DCT wrestler)

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It was at Source that DCT began working with now WWE star Killian Dain, better known as Big Damo on the independent scene. Many of the current stars from across the UK have credited Damo for playing a pivotal role in their careers, as well as bringing Scottish wrestling back to the standard it should be, and DCT is no different.

“Between him and Mikey Whiplash, they taught me everything I know. Damo was always tough on us, but he'd explain things, Whiplash is the same. He'll always be able to pick apart the small details, and I think that sets them apart from a lot of other trainers all over the place.

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“When Damo took over at Source, there was a real changing of the guard. In that period, everything was just all over the place, and Damo reeled it all in and took charge. At that point he just wanted to be a wrestler, and then all of a sudden he's a promoter, a trainer. I credit him so much for the quality of Scottish wrestling just now.”

The evolution of DCT as a performer, and as a character, from that point on was a bit of a slow burner. After spending a number of years working his way up the card in ICW, it wasn’t until he was put with real life friends Jackie Polo, Mark Coffey and Coach Trip, better known as Adam Shame, in Polo Promotions, that he really started finding his feet.

His partnership with Coach, in particular, had so much chemistry, that they became an essential part of each other’s gimmicks in the ring right up until the present day.

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“I think, me on my own, is good, but me with Coach, is great. You don't get many guys in the good guy role that have a manager, but it somehow works with Coach. He gets great sympathy off the crowd.”

The Shug’s House Party event holds a special place is DCT’s heart, as it has been the scene of some of the most significant storylines in his wrestling career to date. In 2015, he was involved in a storyline in-ring wedding to BBC star Viper. It also marked the beginning of his year-long feud with then-TNA star Bram, who crashed the wedding festivities in brutal fashion.

The next year would see Thomson take on his long term rival inside a steel cage, in what was to be DCT’s first chance to shine in a main event slot, just four years after his return to wrestling training.

“I've went from a complete bottom of the ladder nobody to being put in this prominent position against a guy who's a legitimate international star. At this point, I'm like 'I'm going to get found out, people are going to realise I'm rubbish.' But really, I knew I would be able to hold up my end of the bargain. It was just about showing everybody that I could. And that match was one of the more spectacular stories that ICW had done.

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“I've got a few critics who will lambaste me for not taking a lot of risks. But I'm not the type of guy who should be doing the dives out of the ring or going 100mph. I'm not that kind of wrestler. I think some people try to be when they’re not that, and I think the cage match is a perfect representation of my sort of style.”

Since that night, DCT has proven his ability in to go toe-to-toe with the best there is. This was highlighted just a few months later when he was selected in a major role at the company’s biggest show to date, Fear and Loathing 9 at the SSE Hydro, as part of ICW owner Mark Dallas’ team in an eight-man tag team match to decide full control of ICW.

On being a part of this historic encounter, he added: “It was a match full of top-top guys. Just being in there with those guys, you're raised up by association. Again, I've got to thank Dallas for looking at me for that spot, as there is a lot of others guys you could ask to do it. But he went for me.

“I may have just been a smaller cog in the larger machine that was that match, but it was a real vote of confidence, a nice pat on the back to say that I could clearly hang with these guys.”

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With his history at the event over the past four years, it’s only fitting that his biggest match to date comes at Shug’s. Whilst he has held championships before in other promotions across Scotland, having the chance to hold a world title means a lot to the 29 year old.

“Look at the names who have held that belt. Drew Galloway/McIntyre, Grado, Damo/Killian Dain. The list goes on. Mikey Whiplash, even back to Red Lightning in his prime. So many amazing bodies who have held that title. I want my name on the list.

“Drew made the ICW title the world title. He took all over the world with him, and really gave it that prestige. Having that round your waist is such a badge of honour.

“ICW is still the top UK independent promotion. Nobody has ran a building the size of the Hydro. ICW is still the top of the ladder, in my opinion. Some people may argue, don't get me wrong, some great promotions out there, but ICW is the best. And if you're the best man working there, you're the champion.”

Standing in his way is current champion Stevie Boy, a man classed as one of Scotland’s finest products and fresh off of arguably one of the greatest 12 months in UK wrestling history. So much is DCT’s determination to win the belt that he has put his place in the company, and the country, up for grabs. Despite not having a back-up plan in place in the off chance that he comes up short, he has a clear and simple plan lined out for how he is going to come out on top.

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“My main plan is to go in and bully him. I'm bigger than him. I've been deliberately putting on some size. I'm trying to hit 220lbs for this match. I'm hoping to out muscle him, out fight him, and at the end of the day, he's got more experience than I do. He's been in the business a lot longer, he's been in it for about 11 years. He's incredibly talented, how can I combat that? In short, by battering him! I've got a lot more to lose than he does.”

DCT vs Stevie Boy highlights a weekend of top drawer wrestling action at the fifth annual Shug’s Hoose Party, taking place on the 28th and 29th of July at Glasgow’s O2 Academy. Weekend and single night tickets for the event are still available from ticketmaster.co.uk and tickets-scotland.com.

You can catch the full interview with DCT on the Eat Sleep Suplex Retweet podcast, available on iTunes, Spotify and all other good podcasting sites.